Judge Glenda Hatchett to Keynote FAMU’s 2008 Fall Commencement

Glenda Hatchett will keynote Florida A&M University’s 2008 fall commencement scheduled for Friday, December 12, at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center at 6 p.m. Hatchett presides over the syndicated show “Judge Hatchett” now in its 8th season.

After graduating from Emory University School of Law and completing a coveted clerkship in the U.S. Federal Courts, Hatchett accepted a position at Delta Air Lines as the company’s highest-ranking African-American woman. She served in dual roles as a senior attorney for Delta, litigating cases in federal courts throughout the country, and manager of public relations, supervising global crisis management, and media relations for all of Europe, Asia and the United States. In fact, her outstanding contributions were recognized by Ebony Magazine, which named Hatchett one of the “100 Best and Brightest Women in Corporate America.” She made the difficult decision to leave Delta Air Lines to accept an appointment as Chief Presiding Judge of the Fulton County, Georgia Juvenile Court. Upon accepting the position, she became Georgia’s first African-American Chief Presiding Judge of a state court and the department head of one of the largest juvenile court systems in the country.

Hatchett is a graduate of Mt. Holyoke College and has been recognized as a distinguished alumna and awarded an honorary degree by the college. She also attended Emory University School of Law and because of her commitment to excellence and service within the community, she was awarded the Emory Medal, the highest award given to an alum by the university.

She is the author of the national bestseller, “Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say” (HarperCollins). She has previously served on the Board of Directors of Gap, Inc., the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), and the Service Master Company.

Hatchett is a board member of the Atlanta Falcons Football Organization and serves on the Board of Advisors for Play Pumps International. She also serves on the Boys and Girls Clubs of America National Board of Governors.

She resides in Atlanta, Ga. with her two sons.